DEFENSE COMMUNITIES 360

Governor Recommends Eliminating Virginia’s Military Affairs Office

Virginia Gov. Robert McDonnell (R) recommended Tuesday eliminating the state office responsible for preserving and enhancing its military facilities as part of an effort to shrink state government, the Washington Post reported.

The Virginia National Defense Industrial Authority was established in 2005 by the General Assembly to provide technical assistance and improve coordination between the state, its defense communities and the military. The authority’s existence is a statement to DOD and any future BRAC commission that “Virginia is engaged with, and values greatly, its relationship with defense partners,” according to its website.

The authority now is working to prepare the state for a future BRAC round, and with local and regional partners to attract more defense contracting dollars to Virginia, the website states.

By most measures, Virginia is one of the leading states for defense spending. The military spends more than $57 billion annually in the commonwealth, accounting for 16 percent of the gross state product and 19 percent of its jobs. DOD ranks as the state’s number one direct employer with 187,000 jobs.

McDonnell’s proposal, which also called for eliminating one other agency and cutting 19 boards and commissions, is projected to save at least $2 million per year.